


Gonna Need a Raincheck

by miss_grey



Series: Under Fluorescent Lights [2]
Category: Band of Brothers
Genre: Bill likes to keep it real, Doc Roe - Freeform, Fluff and Humor, M/M, bartender Babe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-11
Updated: 2019-04-11
Packaged: 2020-01-11 07:47:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,152
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18426153
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/miss_grey/pseuds/miss_grey
Summary: God was messing with him again.  This was the second time he’d gotten a text from Gene saying something along the lines of “Sorry.  Emergency at the hospital.  Reschedule?”





	Gonna Need a Raincheck

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Servena](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Servena/gifts).



 

 

God was messing with him again.  This was the second time he’d gotten a text from Gene saying something along the lines of “Sorry.  Emergency at the hospital.  Reschedule?”  And yeah, Babe had already thought that maybe Gene was blowing him off, didn’t really wanna see him again after their weird motel meet up.  But then again, if that was the case, wouldn’t it be easier to just not text at all?  Babe sighed and texted back “Sure, let me know when,” before he chucked his phone over his shoulder and flopped back onto the couch.

Bill paused in his perusal of Netflix and turned to quirk a brow at Babe.  “What’s wrong with you, huh?”

“Nothing,” Babe muttered.  He pulled at a stray thread on his shirt.  He huffed.  “Just… Gene had to cancel again.”

Bill snorted.  “That doctor you picked up on our road trip?”

“Didn’t pick ‘im up,” Babe grumbled, under his breath.

Bill rolled his eyes.  “I’m starting to think you made him up.”

“I didn’t!”  Babe protested, voice coming out as a whine, like he was a teenager again.

Bill cackled.  “Tall, dark, and handsome.  Educated.  Nice.  Just so happened to run into him twice.  And oh yeah, moving to Philly!”  He reached over and patted Babe on the knee.  “Sounds like your dream guy.  You sure he’s real?”

Babe smacked Bill’s hand away and sat up again.  “Goddamnit, Bill.  Just… put on the show.”

So Bill picked up the remote and got back to scrolling.  Babe heaved a heavy sigh.

 

 

 

Work the next night was a shit show.  Tommy called out sick so that left Babe as the only bartender for the shift and Meg, the waitress, was feeling real pissy that night.  The tips were almost non-existent.  And Babe had already had to cut a guy off and escort another one out.  He still had two hours left.

Finally, they reached a lull and Babe was able to take a breather, so he let Meg know he was going out back for a smoke.  The sky was clear that night, and the air was filled with the usual night sounds…cats hissing behind the trash bins, someone cursing and laughing out on the street, a siren a few blocks out.

Babe just wanted this night to end so he could go home, binge some Netflix, then fall into bed.  He finished his cigarette and wandered back in.

“He’ll be right back,” he heard Meg say as he made his way in from the back.

“Alright,” a smooth voice drawled, and Babe froze, heart kicking against his ribs.  He knew that voice.  He swallowed thickly and walked back out to the bar, where he saw Gene perched on a stool, his hands folded politely on the scarred counter.  His dark gaze shifted to Babe.  “Hey,” he said, “hope you don’t mind that I just dropped in.”

Babe didn’t even bother trying to fight off his grin.  He hurried up to the counter.  “No, ‘course not!  It’s good to see ya, Gene.  How ya been?”

“Busy,” Gene sighed.  “Just got off a 20 hour shift.”

“What?!”  Babe exclaimed, and yeah, now that he was looking, he realized Gene had dark circles around his eyes and his hands held a slight tremble.  “That’s crazy.  They allowed to do that to ya?”

Gene chuckled.  “Yeah.  Sometimes it’s longer than that.”

“You should be sleeping,” Babe said, leaning against the bar to get closer.  “What are you doin’ here?”

Gene shrugged.  “Felt bad about cancellin’ earlier.”  He flashed a tired smile.  “Still wanted to see ya, though.”

“Well,” Babe stammered, feeling a blush coming on.  “Can I get you anything?  On the house, Doc.”

Gene smiled wider this time, and if Babe wasn’t mistaken, a soft pink blush began to color his pale cheeks.  “Just a beer would be great.”

Babe grinned, his heart jumping.  “Coming right up.”  And when exactly did this happen, huh?  When did he start blushing and stammering around this guy, when they hadn’t even been on a proper date?  He hadn’t seen him in a couple weeks, not since he’d been back in Philly.  Goddamnit, he was so screwed.  He placed a bottle down in front of Gene and watched as the handsome doctor tipped it back and took a long pull, his pale throat catching Babe’s gaze in the dim bar light. 

“Thanks, Babe.”  Gene murmured.  “So, about that raincheck….you busy this Thursday?  I got the day off.”

Babe’s heart fluttered and he wondered if it was always gonna be like this.  He grinned and met Gene’s eyes.  “Thursday sounds great.”

So they chatted for the rest of Babe’s shift, Gene refusing to leave even as his bruised eyelids continued to droop.  Finally, Babe was a free man and he escorted Gene to the parking lot, looking for his pick-up truck.  “Did you drive, Gene?”

“No,” Gene said, nearly swaying on his feet.  “Didn’t think it’d be a good idea after that many hours.  I took a cab.  Know where I can get one at this time of night?”

Babe snorted.  “Gene, this is Philly.  You can get one just about anywhere.  But that’d be a waste of your time and money.  Why don’t you let me drive ya?”

Gene turned to him and quirked a brow.  “Remember when you thought _I_ was a serial killer?  Who’s bein’ suspicious now?”

Babe huffed a laugh and blushed again.  Maybe not his smoothest moment.  “Oh, come on, Gene.  You have to admit it was weird!  What was I supposed to think, huh?”  But Gene had already started laughing, clear and soft in the night air.  “Really though, let me drive you.  I’d feel better knowing you got back safe.”

Gene glanced at Babe out of the corner of his eye.  “Alright.”  And though Gene didn’t say anything else about it, Babe could tell he was thinking.  His brows furrowed over his dark eyes as they sat in Babe’s car and Gene directed him toward his new place. 

When they got there, Babe wasn’t surprised to see it was an apartment complex, but he was happy to see it wasn’t in too bad a part of the city.  “Alright.  Can you make it up okay?”  Babe asked.

Gene smirked and unbuckled.  “Yeah, I think I’ll be fine.”  He reached for the handle, then paused, turning back, and asked “So we’re on for Thursday, right?”

“Right.”  Babe grinned.

Then Gene leaned over, slow and smooth, his eyes glinting from a streetlight, and he placed a kiss at the corner of Babe’s mouth, soft and sweet, but there.  “Good,” Gene murmured, lips still brushing Babe’s skin.  Then he pulled away.  “Thanks for the ride.”  Then he was gone, disappearing into his building. 

And Babe sat back and had to just breathe for a moment, because holy shit, Gene was something else.  How was he ever gonna survive this?

**Author's Note:**

> Geez, I really just love these two <3


End file.
